Chapter 1: Koenma, the Item and the Missing Fox

"Do you think he'll come?" Asked an orange haired boy who was sitting in a chair, which had been turned around so he could straddle it, and had his head on his hands. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a light blue muscle shirt, with a dark blue jacket over it.

"I don't know…your guess is as good as mine. You have a 50/50 shot." Answered a raven haired boy, who was sitting in a chair to the right of the other, his was tilted back on two legs, rocking, with his hands behind his neck. He was also wearing a pair of jeans, but had on a white t-shirt and a cropped jean jacket.

"What are you two idiots talking about?" Another voice said.

The raven haired, Yusuke Urameshi and the orange haired, Kazuma Kuwabara both turned to look at one of the other four members of the Rei tanteis. He was not sitting in the chair to Yusuke's right, which was at the moment empty, but sitting on the floor nearby with his back against the wall. His head, with black spiking hair and white star on the front was down, hands in his black cloak and the ever present katana laying along his legs, which were crossed at the ankles.

"Come on Hiei…you mean in the two months you've been back fox boy hasn't told you about wanting to quit the team and live a 'normal' life'." Yusuke said letting the chair down with a thud while still looking at the fire demon who was also part koorime. "I mean." He continued. "As soon as we got back, Koenma gave us a month off." Muttering. "Even though I don't think he liked doing that." Then louder. "Koenma told me he stopped by and talked about quitting and hell even I tried to step in on his behalf and told Koenma to let the fox go, but I got told that he had to do group and solo missions. Whatever in the hell 'solo' meant." He huffed folding his arms.

"Hn…I don't blame him. Solo mission from Koenma can be boring and stupid." Hiei said, still not looking up.

"You mean you go on solo mission too, shrimp?" Kuwabara asked, getting a little surprised at the idea that they had been asked to go on solo missions, yet he had not.

"Of course, baka, as part of our parole for stealing the three sacred artifacts we had to go on solo and group missions." Hiei answered, finally looking up with his crimson eyes to stare at the baka.

"When you say group, do you mean with us or just the two of you?" Yusuke said and couldn't help but put a smile on his face at the question.

"Hn." Hiei replied, looking away.

"I see…" Yusuke said, looking up in thought. "That's how you two got to know each other better." He commented, getting in the mood to tease the fire demon about his relationship with the fourth member of the team. He was talking about Kurama, a spirit kitsune now living in the Ningenkai as Shuiichi Minamino. The raven haired was always wondering what made the fire demon interested in the tall, skinny, long red haired, big green eyed fox. Now that he thought about it. 'Who wouldn't be attracted to someone who had the most feminine features for a guy?' And they do seem to share some sort of bond mentally, they always know what each other are thinking without saying a word and…. He was taken out of his thoughts when Hiei asked.

"So what was the reason for Kurama wanting to quit?" He was trying to make it sound like he didn't care and trying to change the subject. Though deep down he was wondering why the fox wanted to quit and why he was never told.

"Well, let's see." Yusuke said, starting to count on his fingers. "When we got back, he seemed a little depressed. I figured it was because of everything that happened, mostly with Yomi, though he never told me all of it. Then there was his mother, step-father, and step-brother moving out of town, that's when he decided to get his own apartment next to Genkai's temple. He started working for his step-father's company, that's when he started having problems making it to the meetings and getting away to go on missions. Koenma thought that's why he wanted to quit." He shrugged and looked up. "But I personally think it was the fact that you didn't come back, he seemed like he was missing a part of himself. He was never the same on missions and he seemed to not be able to function like he did when you were here."

Hiei had been listening to every word the detective said. He had noticed that the fox didn't seem right. He knew the fox had moved. One reason was because he had went to the fox's now 'old' house at the beginning, only to find the window locked and the bedroom that he was so use to just sitting in was now a nursery. He almost thought for a second that Kurama's mother had had another child or worse yet, that Kurama himself had had a child with someone. He had waited the rest of the day, only to realize the fox's youki was no longer there. It took him another day of trailing the youki and when he finally found himself outside a small apartment complex. It was just like Yusuke said, right next to Genkai's temple. 'So that's what's been going on in that kitsune's head.'

"Hn." Came the ever replay.

They were all interrupted when the doors to the office they had been sitting in, which now seemed like hours, opened and the teenage form of Lord Koenma came walking in, going straight to the desk.

"Sorry to keep you waiting gentlemen, but I had to get the rest of the information on this case." He said, looking to Yusuke before saying sarcastically. "I know how you like to have every piece of information about a case." Knowing his best detective flew by the seat of his pants.

Yusuke crossed his arms again mockingly. "Ha-ha…very funny." But then he looked at the Lord saying seriously. "Is fox boy going to grace us with his presence on this one?"

"That's why you're here." Koenma said, his forehead frowning to wrinkle the "JR" present on it when he was in his teenage form. He didn't let the others start with their questions that he knew were coming when he saw all eyes go wide, even Hiei stood up to come closer to the desk. "If you'll let me tell you everything that I know…then you can ask your questions, I just hope I can answer them." He said softly.

(Flashback)

Kurama was sitting in the middle chair across from Koenma's desk. He had his legs crossed at the knee with his hands laced on top.

"So what can I do for you this time?" He asked his voice calm and soft though he was a little perturbed at being summoned after telling Koenma that he didn't want to do any more missions. He sat there fighting the urge not to get up and walk out.

"All I want is some information on an item that was stolen from my father. If you can help, this may give you a chance at redemption for what's been going on with you." Koenma said, looking on his desk for a folder and handing it to the red head. "It was taken a little less than two hundred years ago. It was stolen out of my father's private study, by whom, we don't know. My father is very attached to it and was using it at the time. I have had many people looking for it over the years and no solid leads as to its whereabouts. I thought since you being the 'legendary thief' that you may have heard something about it."

"I will 'thank you' for the complement." The red head said, opening the folder and scanning over the reports until he came to a picture. Upon studying it, he realized he did know something about this 'item'. It was part of the piece he was looking at now, the ebony and ivory inlay, with the gold accents, some with emeralds and some with rubies.

"I do believe I know were this item is located." Kurama answered, not showing any emotions and handing the folder back.

"By knowing were it is located, do you mean that you know who stole it, or did you?"

Koenma asked, not really wanting to hear that after all this time he'd been looking that the fox bandit had taken it and that it had been in his possession this whole time. "If you are the one who took it, you know you will have to be punished and I don't think my father would let it be parole again." He informed.

Kurama was not amused. "I assure you, I did not steal it myself…I … creatively acquired it." He said, still not showing any emotions, but deep down, Youko was cursing himself. 'That belonged to King Enma, Youko you baka, you should have checked and then given it back when you had the chance. Inari help me.'

"Well…you have until sundown tonight to get it…understood?" Koenma said, trying to read the red head. All he got was an.

"Understood"

(End Flashback)

"Kurama didn't make it back to the portal at sundown. Miles went to meet him." Koenma said looking at Hiei. "You remember Miles don't you?"

"Hn"

"Ah…who's Miles?" Kuwabara asked holding up his hand like he was asking permission to talk in school.

Crimson eyes look to him. "Miles is the person who meets me and Kurama after a mission, like Botan does with you." Hiei answered, shifting to look back at the Lord and wondering what else they were not being told.

Seeing the look, Koenma said softly. "Miles came back…but he was dead."

All three boys said. "What?" Amazingly with the same similar look of shock on their faces.

Koenma sighed, saying. "I only found out late last night when I was informed that Miles was a spirit and in holding awaiting judgment." He continued when no one said anything. "That's what took me so long to get here this morning. I have been talking to him about what happened."

"And." Yusuke asked, not liking this one bit.

Koenma flopped back in his chair, tossing the file across the desk. "He doesn't remember. He said it was getting dark and was thinking Kurama was on his way back any minute when he heard a shrieking noise, he then felt something hit him and everything went dark." The Lord said and could not imagine something like this happening to Miles, he was a good worker. Looking up at Yusuke, he said. "I'm sending you to find Kurama."

"Where was he heading?" Hiei asked. Wanting to go and find the fox before something happened to him.

"Mori no Hitei, in the Makai."

End Chapter 1